ReadyTech Helps Shoptech Transition from Face-to-Face Training to a Virtual Classroom

• Need to transition out of costly, in-person classroom offering
• Limited technical resources to handle migration to virtual training
• Wanted a full-service and hands-off switch to online training vendor

Switching from in-person classrooms to virtual training can be a daunting task. And for Shoptech, they knew they had to switch to virtual training but did not want to worry about technology.

After evaluating several vendors, Shoptech selected ReadyTech for their full-service approach. ReadyTech helped Shoptech through the entire migration to virtual training, which "removed a great deal of work and investment" on Shoptech's part. It also meant that Shoptech's instructors could continue focusing on their most important task: providing training to their customers.

• 93% of Shoptech's students now served via ReadyTech's VILT platform
• Shut down 2 physical training facilities, leading to significant cost savings for Shoptech
• Students don't need to travel to and from training facilities

About Shoptech Software

Established in 1984, Shoptech Software is a leading provider of shop management software for job shops and make-to-order manufacturers.

Shoptech founders Rich and Greg Ehemann actually grew up in a shop. While working there, they realized that a vital component of a make-to-order manufacturer's success is the ability to determine whether they are earning or losing money on a job-by-job basis.

They also personally experienced the importance of coordinating all other aspects of running a job shop, such as estimating, scheduling, collecting time from the shop floor, purchasing, shipping and accounting.

From this first-hand experience, as well as the Ehemann's deep interest in computers, grew two software products and a company that was built from the ground up. Today, Shoptech's E2 Shop System and E2 Manufacturing System are the most comprehensive ERP packages on the market, serving more than 250,000 users on a daily basis.

Leaving the traditional classroom behind

In 2013, Shoptech decided it was time to move to a new training platform. While the software company had been educating customers in live, in-person classrooms since 1984, times were changing. "I wanted to transition away from the in-person classroom setting, but I did not want to spend any time worrying about technology," explains George Wells, Shoptech's VP of Account Services. "And I knew it was very important for us to be in the cloud."

So Wells tasked one of his managers with finding the best vendor that could host Shoptech's training curriculum and provide the specialized service that he was seeking for his team of instructors.

"Our research found several vendors," he recalls. "Every single one of them- except for Readytech-required us to have our training rooms already set up. With ReadyTech, we were not required to have training rooms set up or to have our own hardware, which removed a great deal of work and investment on our part."

Reaping the benefits of being in the cloud

Not only are we able to continue providing great training to our students, but we were able to shut down two of our six training centers after moving to ReadyTech. This translates to a significant cost savings for Shoptech. And it also means that students no longer need to take valuable time away from work to travel to one of our training facilities.

George Wells, VP of Account Services

Support is another important piece of the puzzle. When Shoptech recently added a SaaS environment, ReadyTech's 24/7 support team was there to help every step of the way. "Working with ReadyTech on this move was a very good experience," recalls Wells. "They were extremely helpful and responsive. It made me confident that we had made the perfect choice in moving to ReadyTech."

Looking back on his decision to choose ReadyTech, Wells says: "None of ReadyTech's competitors were able to do exactly what I wanted to do. Years after implementing ReadyTech, it's clear that ReadyTech was the right choice for Shoptech."

About ReadyTech

ReadyTech is the easiest and most cost-effective way to deliver worldwide IT training. Our proprietary technology eliminates the most cumbersome, technical and administrative functions of running an IT training program. Students can connect through a browser from anywhere in the world to a high performance lab-environment suited for their needs. Our online training software gives instructors complete oversight and control of the lab environment and virtual classroom.